Chapter 6: Flatmates

A domestic interlude.

Remus Lupin was making tea in his flat when he was interrupted by a clamor at his back door. He fetched another teacup in addition to his own and sighed as a large black dog let itself in. The animal was leaving muddy paw prints all over the living room and limping around with a whine. Remus gave the dog a cross look.

"I'll not have you tracking in dirt, Padfoot," he admonished.

The dog barked and rolled over. In a startling jumble of limbs, the dog became a man again, and Sirius Black gave a very human groan.

"Antidote, Remus!"

The older man abandoned the tea cups at once and dashed to another cupboard. Sirius swore under his breath and tore off his pant leg below one knee, exposing a shin. The blood smelled fresh. Remus pulled two vials, one green and one yellow, and dropped to a knee beside his flatmate.

"Spider?"

Sirius shook his head.

"Snake," he reported, and accepted the yellow vial. "Long and black. Little bugger had a nasty bite."

"You're lucky it wasn't a magical snake," Remus chided as his friend dropped three drops on his tongue, swallowing with a grimace. "Or worse. Did it get away?"

"Are you kidding?" Sirius huffed. He sounded very offended. "Me? Leave a snake alive around the house Harry lives in?!"

"Please tell me you didn't eat it," Remus said, rubbing his temples.

"I didn't eat it," Sirius repeated dutifully. He crossed his arms over his chest like a sullen child. "It's dead though."

The older man sighed. It hurt him to think of any creature being killed although it probably was safer for little Harry. Professor Dumbledore had forbidden them from visiting Harry Potter directly. The Headmaster felt that anyone knowing the location of the Boy-Who-Lived could compromise his safety. The living Marauders, however, felt it their duty to check in on their best friend's only child. They had spent years carefully mapping the discreet labyrinth of monitoring spells and protective wards surrounding Surrey before finding a route to Privet Drive. Remus' sharp nose had saved them more than a couple times from McGonagall's infrequent patrols. The two Marauders were ever on the look out for grey tabbies.

Remus poured two cups of tea as Sirius flopped into a chair.

"S'not right," he grumbled, accepting the teacup with poor grace, "Inside the house, all hours of the day! Moony! They never take him on trips to the park or to play down the lane… it's like he doesn't even exist!"

"Now, it's not our place to interfere," Remus began.

Sirius cut off the familiar speech with a long-suffering groan.

"Pfah! 'It's for the greater good, you see'," He mimicked, waving his wand over his chin and sprouting a long white beard in an unflattering imitation of the Headmaster.

Remus unsuccessfully covered a guffaw. Sirius grinned and banished the beard with a wave of his wand.

"Batty old Professor. He doesn't see the way those Muggles keep him in the house. They may not be manhandling him but keeping a growing boy from sunlight is poor form. 'Harry is perfectly safe,' my left foot!" Sirius gestured broadly with his cup, tea going everywhere. "He spends every hour of the day inside. It isn't natural!"

"He's seven," Remus protested wearily, "And we only just found him four months ago. Surely before then—"

"Eight, now," Sirius said. "His birthday was a few weeks ago."

"That's right," the older man agreed. Unable to celebrate with their honorary nephew, the two Marauders had instead, under a strong Notice-Me-Not charm and a Glamour, visited Number four Privet Drive on his birthday. They had seen him sitting before the fire sitting with his legs crossed and his eyes closed in content.

"He looked so happy, Padfoot," Remus recalled, "Peaceful."

"Bored." Sirius grumbled. "I'd wager a bucket of Galleons he was bored out of his skull! Staring at the fire… He looked absolutely miserable, Moony!"

"You're absolutely miserable, Sirius. Admit it—you just want him to be unhappy there so he can come home with you."

Sirius jabbed his finger in the air.

"Exactly!"

Remus rolled his eyes.

"Sirius Black, we've been through this a hundred times," he lectured as Sirius deflated, "Harry is still at huge risk! Even with You-Know-Who gone there's bound to be Death Eaters who slipped the Ministry purge those years ago. Professor Dumbledore says where he is now is the absolute safest place for him to be."

"Even safer than the thousand-year-old warded homes of Black Manor?"

"Sirius, everyone knows you're his godfather."

"So they know what they're up against!" Sirius barked proudly, a gleam in his eye and his chest puffed out again. Remus leveled him with a long-suffering look. He took a moment to weigh his words and spoke in a measured tone.

"Isn't that expectation and knowledge what cost James and Lily that night?"

Sirius slumped instantly against the couch. All of the pride and confidence that lit up his face had evaporated. His hands clenched open and shut restlessly as the weight of Remus' words hit home.

Remus felt guilty but he had to remind his friend of the truth. Times were still uncertain. While the immediate threat of You-Know-Who had been dealt with those who supported his ideals had not disappeared from society. The survivors used cunning and political speak to avoid being directly targeted, or money if they were otherwise unarmed. Dangerous ideas still floated around in the aftermath of a terrible war. Persecution of Muggleborns. Discrimination based on blood. Anti-creature sentiments. The victory of You-Know-Who's death had brought relief for the threat of violence and destruction but the oozing wounds of war took time to heal.

There was a huff of smoke from the fire, which turned from orange-red to green abruptly, and a tall figure in a dark cloak stepped gracefully from the flames.

Sirius groaned and rolled his eyes as the newcomer dusted the soot from his shoulders.

"Professor Snape," Remus greeted, "How can we help you?"

The taller man folded his arms over his chest, black robes sweeping the floor as he stood to his full height. "I was sent to evaluate…" Half-lidded black eyes raked scathingly over Sirius's suddenly innocent countenance. "…and offer assistance for what McGonagall assured me was a rather vicious poisoning."

Remus and Sirius exchanged a worried look.

Snape waited for their attention before continuing. "I assured her that her observations were incorrect," he drawled, ignoring the huge breaths of relief sighed out by the other men.

"Unfortunately, Black is still alive, so I can truthfully report that the ugly mongrel that was bitten in Potter's neighborhood was not him. McGonagall will no doubt have her suspicious but your alibi is established."

Sirius blew out a huge breath of relief.

Remus gave Snape a more personable thank you. "For keeping our secret, Severus."

"It couldn't have been Black," Snape commented, glancing at the bottles still out on the countertop, "Not everyone has the antidote to most snake bites stored in their cupboards."

"It was a thoughtful Yule gift," Remus said quietly, eyes begging Sirius not to argue. Sirius threw up his hands. Remus ignored him and accepted a pale lilac vial from the Potions Master.

"This should be enough for the next moon. Should you require additional company…" Snape's voice dropped into a warm timbre as he spoke to Remus, "I can make the appropriate arrangements."

Remus' hand lingered on Snape's wrist as he took the bottled Wolfsbane.

Behind them, Sirius made an exaggerated gagging face.

"Maybe I could use some more… sophisticated company, in a week's time," the werewolf muttered rebelliously, just to hear Sirius choke behind him. Snape had to disguise a snicker.

End Chapter